Mascara Applicator and Method of Applying Mascara

ABSTRACT

An applicator applies mascara to a user&#39;s eyelashes with a single push of a lever. The applicator has a housing with a front panel having an inwardly contoured surface. Within the contoured surface is an eyelash engagement opening which has a curvature generally conforming to the curvature of the contoured surface. A brush is contained within the housing, where the brush normally resides within a mascara reservoir. The brush has a plurality of radially extending bristles protruding from a shaft. The shaft has a curvature which generally conforms to the curvature of the opening in the housing in which the user inserts the user&#39;s eyelashes. Activation means, such as a combination of an extension member and an activation lever, are utilized for selectively moving the brush from a first position disposed within the mascara reservoir to a second position where the bristles of the brush are adjacent to the eyelash engagement opening.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/353,809 for this invention was filed on Jun. 11, 2010 for which application this inventor claims domestic priority.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to makeup applicators, and more specifically to a device which applies mascara to eyelashes quickly and without mess.

Mascara is applied to eyelashes to enhance the appearance of the eyelashes to make the lashes fuller, longer and darker, thus making the eye lashes stand out and draw attention to the eye. Mascara applicators are known. One of the most common forms of device is the brush which is first dipped into a bottle of mascara, and then applied to the eyelashes. However, the process may require repeated applications of the brush to the eyelashes and the mascara may end up not being evenly applied to the lashes, such that the mascara may form clumps. In addition, applying the mascara requires the user to have a steady hand as they bring the small brush up within close proximity of the eye. For persons having unsteady hands, the process can be difficult, resulting in poor application of the makeup, repeated efforts to achieve the desired result, and the potential of poking one's eye with the mascara brush. Other known types of mascara applicator may require special refills for the applicator, such as a film or tape as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,640,938 (Okajima, et al.).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the disclosed apparatus provide an easy, fast, and reliable means of applying mascara to the eyelashes with a single press of an activation lever. The device comprises a handheld housing, having ergonomic features. The housing comprises a contoured eyelash engagement opening, which generally matches the curvature of the user's eyelashes and eyelid. This engagement opening is placed such that the eyelashes are contained within the opening. The portion of housing defining the opening is contoured to generally conform to the shape of the user's brow, such that proper placement of the device is facilitated. Within the housing, is a contoured brush, which normally sets within a storage chamber which contains mascara. Once the device is in position, the user depresses the activation lever, which raises the contoured brush into the opening, applying mascara to the lashes. Releasing the activation lever allows the brush to recede back into the storage chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of an embodiment of the present invention with the contoured brush in the lowered position.

FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 with the contoured brush in the raised position.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 with the contoured brush in the lowered position.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 with the contoured brush in the raised position.

FIG. 5 shows a rear view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 with the contoured brush in the lowered position.

FIG. 6 shows a rear view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 with the contoured brush in the raised position.

FIG. 7 shows a front view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 with the contoured brush in the lowered position.

FIG. 8 shows a front view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 with the contoured brush in the raised position.

FIGS. 9A-9D show, with enlarged partial side views, the sequence of raising and lowering an embodiment of the contoured brush.

FIG. 10 shows a rear view of an embodiment of the present invention, indicating a partial sectional view along line 10A-10A.

FIG. 10A shows an enlarged partial sectional view along line 10A-10A from FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the figures, FIGS. 1-8 show various exterior views of an embodiment of the present mascara applicator 10. As shown in the Figures, the mascara applicator comprises a handheld housing 12, having ergonomic features, which housing contains the working components of the apparatus. As shown, the housing 12 is configured to be comfortably held in a single hand, where an activation lever 14 or other activation means are easily reached by the user's thumb or fingers. The housing 12 has a top 16, a bottom 18, a front panel 22, and a back panel 23. The housing 12 may be further divided into an upper portion 17 and a lower portion 19. As shown in the figures, a part of front panel 22 is in the upper portion 17, with the remainder of the front panel in the lower portion 19. All of the section of front panel 22 in the upper portion 17 comprises an inwardly contoured surface, and the inwardly contoured surface may partially extend into the lower portion 19 as depicted in FIGS. 1-2.

Adjacent to the top 16 is a contoured eyelash engagement opening 20 at the front 22 of the housing 12. The housing further comprises front 22

As shown in the figures, the front 22 of the housing 12 may be contoured adjacent to the eyelash engagement opening 20 to facilitate bringing the opening 20 up close to the eye, such that the user's eyelashes are accepted within the opening. As shown in FIGS. 5-6, the opening 20 may extend through both the front and back of housing 12, such that the user may, when utilizing a mirror, actually see their eyelashes entering the opening. Alternatively, opening 20 may only be in the front 22 of the housing 12.

The housing 12 may comprise the gentle angle shown in the figures which has the upper portion in a forward position with respect to the portion being held by the hand, such that the lower portion is not in direct contact with the user's face when using the device. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the portion of the front panel in the upper portion of the housing may define a first plane and the portion of the front panel of the lower portion may define a second plane, such that an angle α is defined by the position of the first plane with respect to the second plane, where α ranges from 20 to 30 degrees.

Contained within the housing 12 is a contoured brush 24. Contoured brush 24 is preferably shaped to generally conform to the gentle arc shape of the eyelashes, such that the shape of the contoured brush is generally the same as opening 20, as best shown in FIG. 2. Contoured brush 24 may comprise a plurality of bristles attached to shaft 25, where shaft 25 has a curvature which generally conforms to the curvature of opening 20. An activation lever 14 is operationally attached to shaft 25. For example, activation lever 14 may be attached to a pivoting connector which is connected to extension member 30 which may either be attached to shaft 25 or shaft 25 may be integral to extension member 30. Extension member 30 may comprise either a rod or alternatively comprise a contoured plate construction which slides within housing 12. When activation lever 14 is in the raised position, the contoured brush 24 is in the lowered position and contained within mascara reservoir 26. Mascara reservoir 26 may be filled with mascara through port 28. Alternatively, housing 12 may be filled with mascara upon manufacture and sealed without refill means, such that the device is disposed or recycled once the reservoir is empty.

Contoured brush 24 is attached to the upper end of extension member 30 which extends upwardly from the lower portion of housing 12. Extension member 30 is pivotally attached at its lower end to activation lever 14. Extension member 30 extends through lower reservoir opening 32, which opening is sealed against the outside of extension member 30 to prevent excessive migration of mascara from the mascara reservoir 26 into the lower portion of the housing 12. As schematically shown in FIG. 9, when activation lever 14 is depressed by the user, contoured brush 24 is raised upwardly by extension member 30, such that the contoured brush 24 is lifted through upper reservoir opening 34, and into the top 16 of housing 12. When the contoured brush 24 is raised into this position, the contoured brush abuts into upper pad 36.

When the user has positioned their eye lashes into opening 20 and depresses the activation lever 14, the contoured brush 24 rises out of the mascara reservoir, through the upper reservoir opening 34, and the user's eyelashes are sandwiched between the contoured brush on the bottom and upper pad 36 on the top. In this process, a coating of mascara is evenly applied to all of the user's eye lashes in a single stroke. A biasing means, such as a spring or elastic band, may be utilized to return the contoured brush to the lowered position within the mascara reservoir 26, and return the activation lever 14 to the raised position.

A method of applying mascara to a user's eyelashes employs the invention described above. The disclosed invention is used by a user grasping the device and holding it close to the user's eye, and gently placing the eyelashes of one eye within the contoured eyelash engagement opening 20. Once the eyelashes are placed in the eyelash engagement opening, the user presses downward on activation lever 14, thus raising the contoured brush 24 from the mascara reservoir, through the upper reservoir opening 34, and the user's eyelashes are sandwiched between the contoured brush on the bottom and upper pad 36 on the top. In this process, a coating of mascara is evenly applied to all of the user's eye lashes in a single stroke. The user removes her eyelashes from the eyelash engagement opening. Upon release of the activation lever 14, the contoured brush 24 is returned to mascara reservoir 26 by biasing means. Alternatively, the user may manually manipulate activation lever 14 to return the contoured brush 24 to the mascara reservoir 26.

While the above is a description of various embodiments of the present invention, further modifications may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus the scope of the invention should not be limited according to these factors, but according to the claims to be filed in the following appended claims. 

1. An applicator for applying mascara to a user's eyelashes comprising: a housing having a front panel, the front panel comprising an inwardly contoured surface, said inwardly contoured surface comprising a eyelash engagement opening, the eyelash engagement opening having a curvature generally conforming to the curvature of the contoured surface; a brush contained with the housing, the brush comprising a plurality of bristles attached to a curved shaft, the curvature of the shaft generally conforming to the curvature of the contoured eyelash engagement opening; a mascara reservoir enclosed within the housing; activation means for selectively moving the brush from a first position disposed within the mascara reservoir to a second position where the bristles of the brush are adjacent to the eyelash engagement opening.
 2. The applicator of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a top, a bottom, an upper portion, a lower portion, and a back panel, wherein a section of the front panel in the upper portion comprises an inwardly contoured surface, said inwardly contoured surface comprising the eyelash engagement opening adjacent to the top.
 3. The applicator of claim 1 wherein the bristles of the brush abut into an upper pad when the brush is in the second position.
 4. The applicator of claim 2 wherein the eyelash engagement opening extends through from the front panel to the back panel.
 5. The applicator of claim 2 wherein the portion of the front panel of the upper portion defines a first plane and the portion of the front panel of the lower portion defines a second plane, and an angle is defined by the position of the first plane with respect to the second plane.
 6. The applicator of claim 5 wherein the angle comprises a range from 20 to 35 degrees.
 7. The applicator of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a port for filling the mascara reservoir.
 8. An applicator for applying mascara to a user's eyelashes comprising: a housing having a front panel, a top, a bottom, an upper portion, a lower portion, and a back panel, the front panel of the upper portion comprising an inwardly contoured surface, said inwardly contoured surface comprising a eyelash engagement opening adjacent to the top, the eyelash engagement opening having a curvature generally conforming to the curvature of the contoured surface; a brush contained with the housing, the brush comprising a plurality of bristles attached to a curved shaft, the curvature of the shaft generally conforming to the curvature of the contoured eyelash engagement opening; a mascara reservoir enclosed within the housing; an extension member attached to the curved shaft an activation lever attached to the extension member for selectively moving the brush from a first position disposed within the mascara reservoir to a second position where the bristles of the brush are adjacent to the eyelash engagement opening.
 9. The applicator of claim 8 wherein the bristles of the brush abut into an upper pad when the brush is in the second position.
 10. The applicator of claim 8 wherein the eyelash engagement opening extends through from the front panel to the back panel.
 11. The applicator of claim 8 wherein the portion of the front panel of the upper portion defines a first plane and the portion of the front panel of the lower portion defines a second plane, and an angle is defined by the position of the first plane with respect to the second plane.
 12. The applicator of claim 11 wherein the angle comprises a range from 20 to 35 degrees.
 13. The applicator of claim 8 wherein the housing comprises a port for filling the mascara reservoir.
 14. The applicator of claim 8 wherein the activation lever extends through the back panel, and manipulated downwardly towards the bottom of the housing to move the brush to the second position.
 15. A method of applying mascara to a user's eyelashes comprises the following steps: placing the eyelashes of a first of the user's eyes within an opening of a mascara applicator, the applicator comprising (1) a housing having a front panel, the front panel comprising an inwardly contoured surface, said inwardly contoured surface comprising a eyelash engagement opening, the eyelash engagement opening having a curvature generally conforming to the curvature of the contoured surface; (2) a brush contained with the housing, the brush comprising a plurality of bristles attached to a curved shaft, the curvature of the shaft generally conforming to the curvature of the contoured eyelash engagement opening; (3) a mascara reservoir enclosed within the housing; and (4) activation means for selectively moving the brush from a first position disposed within the mascara reservoir to a second position where the bristles of the brush are adjacent to the eyelash engagement opening; activating the activation means causing the brush to move to the second position; removing the eyelashes of the first eye from the opening of the mascara applicator; releasing the activation means to cause the brush to move to the first position; placing the eyelashes of a second of the user's eyes within the opening of the mascara applicator; activating the activation means causing the brush to move to the second position; and removing the eyelashes of the second eye from the opening of the mascara applicator.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the housing comprises a top, a bottom, an upper portion, a lower portion, and a back panel, wherein a section of the front panel in the upper portion comprises an inwardly contoured surface, said inwardly contoured surface comprising the eyelash engagement opening adjacent to the top.
 17. The method of claim 15 wherein the bristles of the brush abut into an upper pad when the brush is in the second position.
 18. The method of claim 16 wherein the eyelash engagement opening extends through from the front panel to the back panel.
 19. The applicator of claim 16 wherein the portion of the front panel of the upper portion defines a first plane and the portion of the front panel of the lower portion defines a second plane, and an angle is defined by the position of the first plane with respect to the second plane.
 20. The applicator of claim 19 wherein the angle comprises a range from 20 to 35 degrees. 